Gunmen fire rifle grenade at oil firm office

Asian Economic News, Dec 6, 1999

Unidentified gunmen fired a rifle grenade at the main office of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., one of the Philippines' biggest oil firms, in the Makati financial district, police officials said Thursday.

No one was killed, but a security guard was injured in the attack early Thursday, which occurred amid mounting calls to roll back the price of petroleum products in the country.

Makati City police officer Ruther Saklayan said a security guard was slightly injured by glass splinters from the building's shattered windows.

According to Saklayan, the unidentified men fired upon the building from a van. The explosion created a 7.6 centimeter deep by 30.5 cm wide crater on the building's front wall.

"We have no leads yet. We are still investigating the case," Saklayan said, adding no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Local radio reports said the attackers were "young men and women." But Saklayan said "the matter is being investigated." It was the second time the Shell Philippines office was attacked. In February 1996, urban communist guerrillas also attacked the office, apparently to protest a rise in the price of petroleum prices.

Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets during the past few months to protest the latest oil price hikes and denounce President Joseph Estrada for allowing the oil firms to jack up the price of petroleum, which has led to the increase in the prices of goods.

Citing heavy losses, the country's biggest oil firms have increased oil and petroleum prices at least seven times since April.

The latest price hike took effect Nov. 1 when the oil firms increased the prices of gasoline and kerosene by 50 Philippine centavos (0.012 dollar) per liter, and diesel by 35 centavos per liter.